


Sunshine

by Duchess_of_Strumpetness



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluffy, M/M, Picnics, Sunshine - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 02:33:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15257502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duchess_of_Strumpetness/pseuds/Duchess_of_Strumpetness
Summary: My contribution to the Sunshine Holiday Gift ExchangeHarry and Draco spend a few hours under the branches of Draco’s favourite old willow tree, his secret hideaway as a child, and share a picnic basket and a couple of bottles of Elf Lemonade.Huge beta thanks to the amazing ArielSakura & BickyMonster - your patience for my silly questions knows no bounds





	Sunshine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheWanderingMuse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWanderingMuse/gifts).



> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/41529282@N02/41823079920/in/dateposted-public/)

“Draco, we’re at your father’s birthday weekend!” Harry gasped, shocked as his boyfriend tried to suck a hickey into his neck.

“So?” he muttered before he latched onto Harry’s neck again.

“He’ll see us!” Harry whined, which was ridiculous. They hadn't even got out of bed yet.

“Harry, he’s most likely downstairs in the morning room reading _The Prophet_ and calculating fluctuations in Galleons or something boring. He doesn’t care that I want to shag my boyfriend.”

Harry couldn’t argue with that logic but they were at the Manor, in Draco’s old bedroom. It was just... weird.

Draco flopped over onto his back in frustration, blowing his fringe out of his eyes. “He knows what we’re doing, Harry, we’ve been dating for three years.”

“That’s the problem, I need not face your father over the breakfast table when I’ve just had your cock down my throat.” Harry knew he was being ridiculous but the Manor didn’t hold good memories for him.

“Or your cock up my arse!” Draco supplied to his snort of laughter at the glare Harry gave him.

“You’re not helping yourself, you know. I should make you wait until we get home.”

“That’s two whole days away,” Draco complained, horrified at the thought “That’s cruel, Potter!”

“Well you know, Draco, the sacrifices we have to make for our loved ones etc.” Harry threw the blonde’s words right back at him, much to Draco’s annoyance.

“I’m going for a shower then.” Draco huffed and he threw back the covers, striding naked to the bathroom, much as Harry wanted to sink into that toned tight arse, but he couldn’t do it, not here.

Twenty minutes later, Draco turned off the shower and stepped out, dripping onto the mat. Much as he hated to admit it, Harry was right. The few times they’d stayed at the Burrow, Draco had been nervous as hell; having sex just never occurred to him when they were there.

Feeling guilty for pressuring Harry, Draco decided to make it up to him.

Glancing out of the window and seeing a gorgeous summer day, Draco figured a picnic would be perfect, and he knew just the place, out by the stream that ran through the Manor grounds. He’d often escaped there as a child and maybe they could take their brooms.

Wiping the shaving cream off his face and tucking a towel around his waist, Draco wandered back into his room to find Harry sprawled over the entire bed, snoring, the sheets a tangled mess on the floor. Smiling, Draco got dressed, knowing the muggle clothing he pulled on would annoy his father no end.

He slipped out of their bedroom, and made his way down to the kitchens in the lower levels of the Manor. It brought back good memories of the time he’d spend down there as a boy, old Milly even teaching him to how to cook his favourite shortbread.

“Mipsy,” he called out to the empty room and seconds later, one of the Malfoy house-elves appeared, her ears flapping in pleasure and large eyes staring up at him.

“Master Draco sirs, what can Mipsy be doing for you today?”

Bending down to her level, Draco smiled.

“Could you make a picnic for Harry and I, Mipsy? To take down to the stream?”

Her ears flapping even faster in pleasure at being given such an important task.

Although they had passed laws and house-elves now had rights and, much to his father’s horror, wages, they had changed little. They still lived to please those they served.

“Master Draco, Mipsy make you the best picnic basket ever. You go now, come back later.”

Draco could not prevent his chuckle as she shoved him out of her kitchen and got to work.

Grinning, he took the stairs two at a time and burst back into their room in time to hear the shower running and Harry singing some sordid tune. Just the thought of the Saviour of the Wizarding World singing in the shower seemed too cliché, but Draco loved it, and Harry had a damn good set of pipes.

After tidying the bed, Draco started pulling clothes out of the wardrobe and carefully selecting an outfit, and laying it out for Harry to put on once he was done in the bathroom.

Summoning one of the other house-elves, he instructed them to bring them tea and toast.

He heard the water shut off and a few minutes later Harry walked out, towel around his waist and drying his hair on another. The sight made Draco’s mouth water.

“I see that uncouth barbarian, Weasley, has been rubbing off on you!” Draco mock complained. It had stunned him to realise how damn funny Ron was. He recognised that somewhat filthy song from something the redhead had been singing a few days ago.

Harry just shrugged not bothered by being called out about the song, it _was_ Ron’s.

“So, what do you have planned for today?” Harry asked, noting Draco had laid his clothes out for him. It had annoyed him no end at the beginning of their relationship. However, he had to admit Draco had far better fashion sense than he did, and so had long resigned himself to being his boyfriend’s dress-up doll.

“Well, as it such a nice day, I asked Mipsy to make us a picnic. Though she banished me from the kitchens as soon as asked.” Draco snorted softly.

There was a soft knock on the door and Mopsy walked in, levitating a tray in front of her with a pot of tea and a mound of hot toast with jars of jams and honey. She set it down on the small table, her ears flapping in delight.

“If that be all, Master Draco, Mopsy goes to help Mipsy now. You wait here.” With a soft pop, she disappeared.

“You have the bossiest elves I’ve ever known.” Harry laughed, as he poured their tea.

Draco just shrugged. It was true, but their freedom was one of the best things to come out of the war. He took the cup of tea and sat down, loving these quiet moments of their day.

“So, where are we going?” Harry murmured around a mouthful of toast and jam, crumbs spraying everywhere.

“Down to the stream, on the edge of the Manor grounds. There’s a nice spot under a tree. We could take our brooms if you like? We’ll take Mipsy’s picnic basket and there is a rug around somewhere. I thought we could get out and see some sunshine for a few hours?”

“Sounds good. Just how big are the Manor grounds?” Harry asked curiously. The house was far too big for his tastes, and from the windows he hadn’t been able to see any other properties around it.

“I’ve no idea. It's about a thirty-minute walk to my tree.” Looking up from where he was buttering his toast, Draco noted the stunned look expression on Harry’s face. “What?”

“Thirty minutes from here and you’re still on Malfoy property?” Harry couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice.

“Only to the rear of the Manor, Potter, what do you take me for?” Draco joked to Harry mutteringly calling him a Posh git.

Another knock on the door revealed Mipsy. The house-elf was levitating a huge picnic basket in front of her. Even though they had just eaten, the smells radiating from the basket were enough to make Draco’s stomach rumble.

“Mipsy finished, Master Draco. We put in all your favourite foods.” She whipped the checkered cover off with a flourish to reveal its contents. Roasted chicken wings, sandwiches, small quiches, salads, chocolate coated strawberries, shortbread and two bottles of Mipsy’s special lemonade, which Draco knew from personal experience just how potent that was.

“Mipsy, you’ve outdone yourself,” Draco praised the elf, and her ears flapped in pleasure.

Mopsy walked in dragging a rolled up picnic rug behind her.

“This is wonderful ladies, thank you,” Harry told them as he took the rug off Mopsy, his praise bring joy to their faces. It was obvious Draco now had to share his elves affection with his lover.

“You be going now. Charms keeps it hot,” Mipsy ordered them, flapping her hands towards the doorway to get them to leave.

It never failed to amuse Harry how damn bossy the Malfoy elves were, well towards Draco at least, but then again, they had played a large part in his upbringing.

Grabbing the picnic basket, Harry gasped at how heavy it was. Muttering a feather light charm under his breath, he grinned at Draco’s exaggerated eye roll. Holding out his hand, Draco threaded their fingers together, and they headed out. They didn’t come across anyone else as they made their way out toward the back of the Manor to the broom cupboard.

Collecting two brooms, high end from what Harry could tell at a cursory glance, Draco slipped a leather strap around them both and stuffed a snitch into his pocket. Slinging the leather strap over his shoulder, he grinned.

“Come on, Potter, let me show you _my_ tree.” Linking hands again, they wandered off.

Harry hadn’t realised just how big, or how beautiful, the Manor grounds were. It wasn’t long before even the turrets of the house disappeared from view.

The day was warm with a slight breeze. The sky a brilliant blue, with a few wispy clouds and the air filled with bird song. Harry looked down at their joined hands and couldn’t prevent his happy smile. This was actually pretty perfect.

Spotting what could only be Draco’s tree, they headed toward it. While it was a willow, Harry was fairly confident it wouldn’t smack them if they got too close.

Parting the branches, Draco ducked through, beckoning Harry to follow.

A blanket of fallen leaves covered the ground underneath the overhanging branches and the boughes facing the water swept to the side with a flick of Draco’s wand to reveal the perfect view over the lake.

Tugging the blanket from the top of the basket, Draco spread it out and sat down patting the blanket beside him.

“What do you think?” Draco asked.

Harry picked up on the nervousness in the question. Dropping onto the blanket beside Draco, Harry leaned over and kissed him.

“It’s amazing, thank you for showing it to me.” Harry knew this had been Draco’s secret place for years.

Grinning broadly, Draco pulled various dishes out of the basket. The roots of the tree were the perfect place to wedge the bottles of lemonade so they wouldn’t topple over and some flat rocks for the dishes. He couldn’t help his small grin as Harry lifted the edges of the covers and inhaled. The aromas from the various dishes filled the air, making their stomachs rumble.

Once it was all laid out to his approval, Draco cracked open the first bottle of Mipsy’s lemonade, handing Harry a glass.

“Watch yourself on that stuff, it’s potent,” Draco warned. He all too well remembered his first hangover at fifteen due to Mipsy's Elf Lemonade, and his father's snort of amusement when he'd proclaimed he was dying; it was no children's drink. That was the day his father taught him how to drink like a proper pureblood and that getting blind drunk was not the way.

Harry sipped the drink and licked his lips in appreciation. It was not sweet like he had thought it would be, but had a definite punch of lemon and something he couldn't identify. However, if Draco thought it was worth a warning, Harry would pay attention. He’d been caught out by wizarding alcohol before and the resulting hangover was not one he was likely to forget.

“You told Mipsy that it was just for the two of us, didn’t you?” Harry asked as Draco pulled the covers off dish after dish. Honestly judging by the amount of food, it would not have surprised Harry had Molly Weasley packed it. Leaning over, he snagged a chicken leg and bit into it. Draco’s subsequent eye roll and huff of annoyance as he tossed a napkin at Harry, caused the brunet to smirk.

“You are an uncultured heathen,” Draco grumbled as he picked up his own chicken leg and bit into it.

Harry just grinned more broadly at his boyfriend, he’d heard the argument often enough. It still amused him no end, even though they were rubbing off on each other. Draco had given up his posh silk pajamas and more often than not could be found, on a Saturday morning, curled up in front of their muggle TV in Harry’s flannel pyjama bottoms and an old t-shirt; even though Harry had bought him his own, Draco loved to steal Harry’s.

It didn’t take long before they’d demolished all the food in the basket and even finished the two bottles of lemonade. Packing it back into the basket and moving it out of the way, they flopped on their backs, watching the water flow past and just enjoying each other’s company.

They chatted about this and that, discussing their various friends, nothing of real substance.

The warmth of the day, their full bellies and the Elf Lemonade had the expected effect, and it wasn’t long before they had both dozed off under the protective branches of the old willow. The branches dropped back into place, cocooning them in their own little world.

Harry swatted at his nose and mumbled something as he turned over in his sleep. Scrunching up his nose, he again swatted at whatever was annoying him, drifting back off to sleep again. Well, trying to, but whatever was pestering him kept him from a very nice dream involving himself, Draco, and an overly large bathtub.

Draco couldn’t prevent his evil chuckle as he continued to torment his boyfriend with a long strand of grass, tickling Harry’s face with the tip of it. He wasn’t sure how long they’d slept, two hours maybe, as the sun was lower in the afternoon sky. Running the end of the grass reed over Harry’s face again, Draco couldn’t help his delighted grin as his boyfriend scrunched up his face and tried to hide it in the rug.

Proving that his reflexes had not diminished at all since he played Seeker for Gryffindor, Harry reached up and snatched the grass reed out of Draco’s grasp and glared at him out of one emerald eye.

Draco just grinned and slipped Harry’s glasses back on for him.

“I was having a lovely sleep before you became a pest,” Harry grumbled, tossing the reed away and rubbing his eyes.

Leaning over to kiss him, Draco grinned.

“Sorry, I do hate to wake my sleeping beauty, but it’s getting late and mother will have our hides if we’re late for dinner _and_ haven’t showered.”

Draco grinned at Harry’s exaggerated groan. He knew damn well that Harry wouldn’t show up to dinner without showering no more than he would. Clambering to his feet, Draco held his hand out to Harry and dragged him to his feet and into his arms for a lengthy kiss.

“I’m glad you’re the only person who knows of my tree,” Draco admitted quietly.

Harry just smiled in return, his smile as radiant as the slowly setting sun as they picked up the picnic basket between them and started the walk back. The sun had set by the time they approached the Manor.

Something caught Harry’s attention out of the corner of his eye and he stopped walking, Draco’s dual grip on the basket dragging him to a stop.

“What?” he demanded, trying to see what had caught Harry’s attention.

“I saw something, over there.” Harry pointed to the bushes that surrounded the manor.

Draco could not prevent his chuckle.

“I suppose now's not a good time to mention the garden gnomes?” he queried to Harry’s look of total disbelief and Draco’s snorted with of laughter.


End file.
